Patrick Comerford
The storm that is causing havoc across these islands for the past few days has disrupted travel everywhere, and must be distressing not only for people whose homes and businesses have been damaged, but for people trying to get home or to return home after visiting families and friends.
I imagine it is frustrating too for people who feel the need to get out for a walk in fresh air after sitting around at home yesterday, having eaten too much, had too much to drink, and watched too much second-rate television.
It seemed the storm had eased a little around noon, and the red alert was being reduced to an amber alert. Two of us headed south to Bray for a brisk walk on the beach, to watch the remains of the storm in the waves and to allow the sea breeze to blow refreshingly through our heads.
The breaking waves were beautiful to watch as the winds blew the spray along the coastal water. A few fathers with children were walking along the promenade, but only one or two were brave or foolhardy enough to step down onto the pebbles and on the shore.
There was only a few white clouds in the blue skies, but to the north-east a full rainbow seemed to be embracing the scene in a promise of better weather ahead.
A sign on the old bandstand on the Promenade is recruiting volunteers for the Bray Charities’ Sea Swim on New Year’s Day. If this weather continues, you would have to be very hardy to volunteer ... but it could be very rewarding.
We stopped briefly in Gusto Italiano in the town centre for two double espressos before heading back.
On the M50 there was a long, senseless queue of cars trying to leave at the exit for the shops at Dundrum. Why do people do this on a day like this? They would have found it more rewarding to continue on the M50 and go for a walk along the beach in Bray ... not only would it have cost less, but it would have brought a breath of fresh air, truly, to their minds and their souls.
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